Messi wins Laureus Athlete of the Year Award; Brazil goes blank

This Monday, the 8th, the ceremony of the Laureus Award, one of the most consecrated celebrations in sports. Competing with names like Mbappe, Rafael Nadal, Stephen Curry, Mondo Duplantis It is Max Verstappen, the Argentine ace was named Best Male Athlete of the Year. In addition, the Argentine national football team was also awarded.

“It’s always nice to receive recognition of this kind. Becoming world champion with my national team was very difficult. Those were years of great joy with Barcelona and a lot of sadness with my national team. I am very grateful for fulfilling my dream and that of all my country. I dedicate this award to all of Argentina”said the World Cup champion.

Messi receives the Laureus Award for the second time in his career. In 2020, the Argentine shared the first place with the British lewis hamiltonwho had just won their seventh title of the Formula 1. The player’s presence at the event was doubtful, but the striker witnessed the ceremony and received the award.

The Argentine national team, in turn, won the best team award. “This is the first time that I am the sole winner of the Laureus Male Athlete of the Year Award, and after a year in which we finally won another award we’ve been chasing for a long time, the World Cup, it’s an honor to be able to hold this statuette. Laureus”said Lionel Messi.

The ceremony had the expectation of having one of the awards directed to Brazil, something that has not happened since 2016, with Daniel Dias. the skater Rayssa Leal was one of the nominees for the award for Best Athlete in Action Sports. However, the statuette stayed with the skier Eileen Gufrom China, keeping the Brazilian drought in the award.